1 Thessalonians 4:11 Commentary and Bible Study

Much is said about culture today, but in any culture there are some good things and many bad things, because this is a fallen world. Into this fallen world comes the gospel saying, God wants you to work. Some were born with a great deal and money and didn’t need to work, but they were taught that they needed to. Even if we cannot get a job we are to apply ourselves until we do. It is very demoralising for such people, and we pray for any in this situation. Greek culture was very much against this, but Paul says, ‘Study to be quiet … and to work with your own hands.’ Of course not all work is manual, and many work with their brains. But people were being converted and saying, ‘I don’t want to work with my hands anymore’. They did not want to do any work, but idleness is one of the greatest enemies of the Christian life. Idleness promotes pride, self-interest, and self-pity; it encourages pleasure-loving, makes mountains out of molehills, and turns us into busybodies. Paul warns against these things.